


Delicate Fears (To Find Our Way Back)

by Selemetis



Category: Archie Comics, Riverdale (TV 2017), Riverdale (TV 2017) RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Future Fic, I'll make it up to them eventually, Journalist Betty, Post-Break Up, Spotify Sweetheart Archie, i'm really not that bad person, just stay strong, some prison mentions but nothing serious really, they will be okay i promise, writer jughead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-26
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-12-07 02:05:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11613660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selemetis/pseuds/Selemetis
Summary: Somehow, Jughead Jones and Betty Cooper would always find their way back to each other.Even if they want to or not.J.Jones, the infamous writer of the novel about a murder in a small town, at the age of 25, gets an interview for New York Times. The interviewer, however, is the girl he left Riverdale with eight years ago -- the promising Yale alumni Elizabeth Cooper who he had broken up with four years ago.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there, everyone!! This my first canon-compliant multi chapter Bughead fanfiction so I'm pretty hyped about it. I really don't have much experience in writing in English so I hope you don't mind the mistakes you may find through the story. 
> 
> A special thank you to my friends who stood with me through my writing struggle, I couldn't get done anything without their support. 
> 
> Oh and I might have made a playlist for this story. here goes nothing, hope you'll like it!  
> https://open.spotify.com/user/selemetis/playlist/1DiljTDOKGrNCDiY7Ogv8O

Maybe it wasn't a big deal -- maybe it was just an any other interview but Betty Cooper knew better than that. She wouldn't be called in her manager's office if it was a simple interview.  
She adjusted her skirt and tugged a rebel hair behind her ear.  
"Miss Kyle? They said you wanted to see me?"  
"Oh, yes, Betty dear, please have a seat." The manager pointed the white faux leather chairs and Betty took it. "There is a special interview I want you to make for this weekend's Literature Section."  
Betty liked the Lit Sec. of the newspaper. It gave her a wide area to work on and meet eccentric people on the way.  
"Sure, Miss Kyle." she nodded with her  signature smile on her face.  
"He's a young writer coming from the little town of yours, Riverdale, was it?"  
Betty's mouth went dry just in a millisecond as she gathered the pieces in her head. _Please, not him -- anyone but him._ _  
_ "J. Jones, at least that's all he wants to publish." she continued as if she wasn't aware of Betty's instant shock. "He wrote this brand new murder novel. I bet you have read it already and we would like to have you interview him."  
"Miss Kyle--" she stuttered. "Are you sure if I'm qualified for this?"  
"You interviewed this Spotify-Sweetheart Archie Andrews before, right?" Miss Kyle interrupted her rejection. "This guy is no different, he's just like a Riverdale-ian like yourself and he's around your age, maybe you know him?"  
"I-- I don't know, there are many Joneses back in Riverdale." she muttered. _But there's a particular one I strictly want to avoid._ _  
_ Her manager waved her hand as she dismissed her.  
"I'll email the questions we need you to ask to you by tonight, you can add some if you like. Thank you, Betty."  
She left the room and went her own cubicle in rush and texted Veronica immediately.  
" _emergency. my place at 7?"_ _  
__"sure, B. i'll bring the margarita."_  
  
•••  
  
"Are you sure that's him?" Veronica asked for the fifth time that evening.  
"Yes, Ronnie," Betty rolled her eyes. "How many J. Jones do you know from Riverdale?"  
Veronica pouted as she sipped her third glass of margarita.  
"I just... Don't know, Betty, he hasn't been in touch with any of us -- not even with Archie. Now out of nowhere, he gets an interview for the New York Times?" she snapped her fingers.  
"We all knew he'd be a good writer." Betty murmured under her breath, her gaze was focused on an old picture of all the four of them in front of the Statue of Liberty, eight years ago.  
"No, _chica_ , we didn't. You did."

Betty cleared her throat as she tried to hold a sob back.

“Oh, B.” The raven haired girl reached for her friend and pulled her in a tight hug. “He doesn’t deserve your tears, believe me. No one does.”

Betty cried that night like she hadn’t cried for the last three years.

  * ••



Of course Jughead knew who would be the reporter from the newspaper. It wasn’t really easy for him -- seeing _her_ after all those years for just a professional occasion. He always had thought it’d be a wedding or something -- a place that they should both seem to look happy. Then she wouldn’t know the pain he had been in for the last four years, she wouldn’t see the regret growing day by day inside of him. But Jughead knew that Betty knew him better than anyone else. He didn’t know how to act or even breath around her. It was like the sophomore year all over again and Jughead cursed himself for not being mature enough to face his _ex_ -girlfriend.

He was in a cozy coffee shop in Brooklyn -- that was all he asked for from his agent. It wasn’t like Pop’s or the drive-in ofcourse however it was the closest place to home anyway.

He ordered another black coffee and tried to focus on the article before him. It was about the Capote’s writing aspects and he’d read it before but like the coffee shop, it was closest thing to home right now.

He lifted his head as the bell rang once again and saw the green eyed blondie right there. She was right on time, like any other option would ever be possible, she was wearing a grey sweater over a white shirt with a matching colored jeans and her hair was in the usual ponytail. _After all those years,_ he thought, _ofcourse she’d wear the ponytail._ He raised his hand in a hesitation and made her see him. She froze for a moment, he realized. The expression on her face went cold for just a second but she was Betty Cooper -- the smile was back on in a blink of an eye.

“Jughead.” she said, giving him a formal handshake. The young man didn’t know which hurt more: hearing his name from her after such a long time of nightmares and daydreams or the coldness over it.

“Betty.” he said trying to smile, failing it miserably. “It’s been a while.”

“Yeah.” she said and avoided her eyes from his. He wasn’t changed that much, or so she thought. The beanie was right there and he was carrying a messenger back even when he was sitting. “Congrats on your book.” she tried to break the ice between them. “I’m glad you finally published it.”

“Riverdale’s very own _In Cold Blood_ ,” he laughed. “It had to be told.”

Her smile cracked at the memory but the waiter interrupted them and she ordered a vanilla latte.

“So,” she rushed into her bag as she found the notes. “My manager sent me the questions and before we get to it, I want you to know, Jug, they are not my questions, I’m just here to represent the newspaper.”

“Sure.” he said without a sarcastic tone. “I… didn’t think you’d be willing to come here, to be honest.”

Her smile slightly widened at his expression.

“Why wouldn’t I, Jughead? I’m a journalist, we are both from the same town and…” She waved her hand at her unfinished sentence but he got it. _And we have a history._ And what a history was that…

 

She asked the usual writer-reader questions, about the upcoming sequel, the selected fans’ questions and finally, his personal life.

“You, uhm, You wrote two words only for the dedication.” she read the question as her face went scarlett. “ _For E._ Is she the Elise from the novel or we should expect some new gossip about your life? _Damn it.”_ she added the last part. “I’m sorry, Jughead, you don’t have to answer this. I bet they’ll be okay if we skip a few questions. I don’t want to-”

“It’s not the Elise from the novel.” he said quickly. “It’s someone from back home that I still hold dear. You can write down like this if that’s okay.”

Betty swallowed slowly as she looked on her notes. She didn’t want to do this, she didn’t _ask for_ this. It was like a bad karma or something she believed she hadn’t deserved.

“Okay.” she nodded and turned off the recorder on the table. “Thank you for meeting me today and, um, Archie wanted me to say hi and call him back.” She spoke in the fastest mode she could as she threw everything to her bag.

“Betty, I--” he exhaled and she took her green eyes to his dark blues. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, Jughead,” she said in the most make-believe voice she had. “Thank you for asking.”

“No, Betts, no-- don’t thank me. I just… I’m glad that I could see you after… after all the time.”

He could see the tears coming up on her eyes and he hated himself even more.

Betty held the tears back in the best way she could and tried to keep the smile on her face.

“I’m glad to see you, too, Jug.” she said. “It’s been a long time.”

 

**_Four years ago_ **

_“I don’t think this is working, Betty.” he said with a cracked voice. “It’s… I… I don’t want this for us, I don’t want to be the obstacle in your life. This is not healthy.”_

_“Jughead, I…” Betty shook her had as the tears fell down on her cheeks. “You are not thinking straight. We’ve been through so much together, and now we are here in this big city and we let it break us apart.”_

_“It’s not just the city, Betts.” he said and sat down on the second-hand couch they had bought together. “It’s our lives. We are holding back each other and you know that.”_

_Betty knew that. There were problems for months -- her post grad education, his passion for going back to Riverdale or the money or his parents or her parents or… well, everything._

_“We survived a Civil War of a small town but we can’t take the big city pressure.” she murmured sitting next to him. She hated this with every piece of her being. “We can do this, Jug. We are better than this, you know that. Whatever is this-- this problems -- we can take it! Just talk to me, let me help you with this.” She was practically begging him and he hated making her to feel so._

_“Betty, I don’t want you to…” He took a deep breath. “We are humans, we are not designed to take everything.” He took her hand in his and gave it a light squeeze. “I do this for both of us.”_

_“Yes, you do.” she said. “_ You _do that. Not_ me. _I just want you to remember that, Juggie.”_

_“Betty, please--”_

_“This was all you and your insisting on not letting me in anymore.”_

_She got up, took a part of her belongings in ten minutes and left the apartment they’d been sharing for four years._

_A week later, a furious Veronica Lodge came for the rest of her stuff and didn’t even have the courtesy to yell at Jughead._

 

They looked at each other’s eyes as they lived the same damn night over again. Jughead wanted to say that he was sorry, he was a fool and she was right as always but he just couldn’t.

Betty wanted to throw a tantrum and hit him like she fantasized over the years and hugged him at the same time but she just nodded, smiled and left the coffee shop. It was only at home when she realized she was making fists and creating bloody crescent on her palms.


	2. Chaper Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey there! thank you for your comments and kudos and bookmarks, i hope you'll like this one as well!

It’d been two weeks since the interview. He was on the New York Times with his book, it was her name under the article and it was all done now. He went back to his second book, she dived back into the crowd of the newspaper. It was almost like never happened.  
 _Almost_.

Jughead hadn’t slept decently for two weeks. His agent was worried but she knew that Jughead Jones was the most productive when he was in a bad mood so she didn’t disturb him with the healthy advices.   
He wasn't living in the same apartment of course, this one was a bit smaller but more comfortable than a trailer. He was in his small kitchen most of the time, drinking coffee and smoking a lot -- something Betty had neither approved nor allowed in their house. It wasn’t a rebel act or anything -- the pack was in his jacket for some time now, he was actually quitting it.   
Well, that plan had also failed like every attempt of decency in his life.   
He was thinking about her, of course he was, who wouldn’t? He saw the hurt he caused and hated it. He somehow hoped Betty to be better, to move on even. He wanted to see that his plan was actually worked and wanted to be proud of himself for giving her the best chance he could. But, no, there she was sitting in front of him with all the big girl attitude he believed she gained in journalism and she was broken. He had seen the fists and wanted to open them, kissed them and apologize them for being such an asshole for all those years.   
His plan wasn’t good for him and it clearly didn’t work for Betty.   
He felt like a stupid once again and did the thing she wanted him to. He called Archie Andrews.   
•••  
“Dude we were all worried about you.” Archie said over a hamburger. “You haven’t called me for like, what, a year now? What the hell were you thinking?”   
Jughead just shrugged and took a bite off of his burger.  
“You know the weird writer stuff, Arch,” he said. “I needed to be alone for a while.”  
“Well at least you listened to Betty, that’s something, right?”   
Jughead gave him a death glare and sighed.   
“Don’t even start.” he murmured.   
Archie leaned his back on his chair and looked seriously for a second.  
“What were you thinking, man?” he asked. “Sometimes even I don’t understand what’s going on in your head.”  
“You and me both, pal.” Jughead said and looked down at his empty plate. “Is she okay, though?”   
“You know Betty.” Archie said. “She’s always somehow fine.”   
“Meaning?”  
“Meaning, Forsythe,” Veronica appeared around a corner and Jughead thought if she planned this entrance. “My dearest bff tries her best but a stupid beanie boy never lets her.”   
“Veronica Lodge.” Jugheas greeted her. “Long time no see.”   
Veronica gave him a fake smile as she sat next to Archie.   
“Archiekins said you’d be here so I decided to say a couple of words to an old friend.” she started as if she was getting into a battle. “Back off, dude.”   
“What?”  
“That’s all I’m going to say, thank you very much.” Veronica cheered and gave Archie a kiss on the cheek. “See you at home, hun.”   
And she left without saying anything else.   
Jughead looked at the point she disappeared and turned to Archie’s shocked face.  
“What the hell was that?” he said and Archie raised his hands with innocence.   
“I swear I don’t know, man. You know how she gets when it comes to Betty.”   
“Yeah.” that’s all he said and went to order a new burger.   
_Back off_ , he thought.

Jughead wasn’t sure which was the worst: seeing Betty’s fists clenched at his words or knowing that he missed her more than he thought he had. Either option sucked even though he had known he’d never get over Betty Cooper. She was a once in a lifetime kind of a girl and Jughead let her go ages ago. Why the longing for her now? Why the anxiety ridden sleepless nights after four fucking years? The world was against him once more and Jughead Jones decided to fight back in the best way known to him: by writing.  
It wasn’t a sequel for his first novel -- wasn’t even a novel at all. He just wanted to write down how much he had loved a girl once and how much he missed her still.

•••

Like most of her off days, Betty went to see her therapist first and then went for a refreshing walk to the Central Park. It was close to her new apartment in Manhattan so she could just go back home if her thoughts were too much to bear. Today wasn’t any different but she decided to stay. She was thinking about Jughead, for sure and how he hadn’t changed after all this time.   
The way he wore the beanie, his preference of coffee, the way he got when he got nervous… Then why on earth he decided the best thing for them is to break up? If they were just the same, why would he be so determined to end things?  
 _No_ , she thought. _We are not the same kids we used to be._  
She was independent like she’d ever been before and she saw the confidence in his eyes about his book. They had grown up nevertheless.   
Betty would thought why she’d given up so easily occasionally. What made her just got the hell out of the door Jughead opened for her?   
_There_ _is_ _your_ _answer_ , _Betty_ , she told herself. _He opened that goddamn door so willingly, you couldn’t find the strength to close it before you let yourself out_.

Oh how much she hated herself sometimes. And Jughead. And their lives. And their problems with not each other but themselves. She looked down at her hands and the scars she got after the interview. Of course she’d do that again, what was she thinking? It was him, after all those years with that stupid hat on his head, cozy in a coffee shop with his black coffee in his hand. It was almost as if nothing changed and that was a after school special.   
_Almost_.

She knew. She knew who the hell was E. She had known that ever since the first time she had read his book. The book was with her today, she pulled it from her backpack and brushed her fingertips on the small letters of the first page.   
_For E_.  
It was for her, of course it was for her. He had promised this many years ago and he kept his promise obviously.

_“Send the first copy to me, with your signature on it, Juggie.” she demanded.  
“I’m going to do better than that and dedicate the whole book to you, Betts.” he said with an amusement in his eyes. “Think bigger.”_

But he changed the names on it -- all of it. Betty Cooper was Elise Goodwin, Archie was Artie and Veronica was Violetta. Maybe it was because of Archie’s new fame or the mentions of Veronica’s father or just… Betty swallowed at the thought, or it was just Betty and the way Jughead wanted to protect her reputation amongst the fellow journalists.

Nonetheless, the book was dedicated to her and she didn’t need an approval for it.   
Her phone’s buzz interrupted her inner monologue, Veronica’s name was on the screen.   
“Hey, V.” she murmured.   
“Hey, gorgeous,” Veronica chripped. “We’re going on a road trip.”  
“What?” she furrowed her eyebrows.  
“Oh, B, you should use your Facebook at least for the upcoming events. Anyways, a school reunion is on the list and we are all going back home.”   
“I don’t know, Ronnie, I already told my mom that I’d spend Thanksgiving here.”  
“Well, change of plans, girl. New Vixens should get to know the legends, don’t you think?”   
Betty chuckled at her best friend’s enthuisiasm and nodded.   
“Fair point, Veronica Lodge.” she gave up. “I missed the twins anyway.”  
“That’s the spirit, B! We’ll pick you up at 8.” Veronica cheered over the phone  
“Oh, no no no, I’ll come with mine, just tell me when you hit the road, okay?” She didn’t want to go all the way with the perfect couple by herself.  
“Fine, buzzkiller, but first round of milkshakes are on you.”   
“Of course, V.” she said. “See you at Riverdale.”

•••

“Dude, you gotta come to home with us. It’ll be just like the old days.” Archie insisted maybe for the ninth time for that day.  
“Arch, you and I remember the old days in a very different manner.” he said. “And the last time I checked, I was graduated from Southside High.”   
Archie threw a soccerball at him to catch.   
“Pfft, it doesn’t matter. You went there for like two years, you are a part of it.”  
Jughead didn’t want to go back to Riverdale, actually he’d rather forget all about his hometown if it was possible. But he’d go back to home anyway and an innocent reason would be a nice cover for his actual reasons.   
He took a look at the letter in his drawer and checked the date on it.  
“Fine.” he huffed. “But I’m not coming with your car, Veronica can push me off of it.”  
Archie laughed at the picture of the exaggrated imagination in his head but nodded.  
“Whatever, man,” he said. “Let’s go home.”   
“Yeah.” Jughead said sarcastically. “Home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos and comments are always appreciated, please let me know what you think ^^


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is basically a cute-anxious pre-reunion chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaand cheryl blossom is also here! hope you like it!

On the way back home, again.  
Jughead took a deep breath as he turned to the left exit and went on Route 40. _It’s okay, it’s home,_ he thought. It wasn’t like the first time he went back or anything but somehow it felt brand new.  
Well, to be perfectly honest, what was left of Jughead’s home in Riverdale anyway?  
_Nothing_ , apparently. No FP, no Jellybean… Hell, no Betty. So the word _home_ suggested him a broken past with many wounds -- his wounds, not anyone else’s. Therefore, it was up to him to leave it as a mess like it is or just go back and pick up the pieces.  
One more hour and he was gonna be the boy with the beanie again. _Donnie Darko_ , Reggie’s memory flew in his head as he slowed a bit down.  
There was something wrong with his hand-me-down motorbike.

Jughead never was good with mechanical stuff or anything, never needed the skill actually. So when his good old motorbike slowed down and down immensely, he furrowed his eyebrows and stopped. He got off of it and checked the engines, couldn’t understand a piece of shit and sat back on the saddle and waited for an idea to come up in his mind. Finally, he called Archie.  
“Hey man,” he said with a tired voice.  
“Hey, Jug, what’s up?”  
“Yeah, umm, my bike went crazy and I’m kinda in the middle of the road.”  
“Dude shit,” Archie was worried and if even he was worried then Jughead was doomed. “We only got out of the building, it’ll take hours for us to get you.”  
“Fine, whatever I’ll just call the mechanics or something.”  
“Yeah, good luck with that.” Archie snorted over the phone. “Like any Riverdale mechanic would be willing to come.”  
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Arch.” Jughead huffed. “Say hi to Veronica.”  
He called the mechanics, they said they’d be there in two hours or so and Jughead swore to Archie being right. The chilliness of the Riverdale autumns had arrived already and there was no one to help him with his bike. He was all alone in his hometown.  _How fucking shocking._  
He took his earphones out of his pockets and turned the music on until he saw a car coming towards him. Maybe there were good people in Riverdale to help him after all.  
He raised both of his arms up -- he was making an international sign for calling help. The green New Beetle slowed down at his sign and pulled over.  
And a blondie got out of it as Jughead put his arms down very slowly as he studied the person in navy blue coat before him.  
It was no other than Betty Cooper herself.  
•••  
_Of course it was Betty. Of course she’d be around to save Jughead’s day. Thanks, God or whatever’s up there. A very sarcastic thanks._

“Jughead?” Betty said, narrowing her eyes as if she was thinking she dreamed of him and trying to be sure of the moment’s reality.  
“Hey there--” he stopped himself before the nickname he had chosen for her a decade ago was slipped out. “Hey, Betty.”  
Betty smiled at him and tilted her head.  
“What are you doing here?”  
Jughead snorted at the question and broke the eye contact.  
“Enjoying the awful weather around us.” His cynical tone was all the same, it made Betty’ heart skipped a bit. Then he took a deep breath, without knowing what he’s doing to her just by being himself. “Hitchhiking, I guess.”  
Betty took a look at his bike over his shoulder and raised her eyebrows.  
“Mind if I take a look at it?”  
Jughead, gaped at her offer, gestured at his bike.  
“Yeah, um, sure.”  
Betty gave him a knowing smile as she used to back in the days and went to his bike to checked the engines.  
“Oh, boy,” she murmured herself. Jughead was right next to her, watching her dealing with his bike as if they were 17 again. “Jug, you have to wait for the mechanics for this.”  
“Yeah.” he murmured. “I kinda figured that out.”  
Betty gave him a look.  
“You called them?”  
“Well I did but you know their policy in here. I guess I should wait for some time.”  
She huffed, looked at the ground as if she was trying to decide on something.  
“We can attach it on my car.” she suggested finally. “You won’t be seeing any other cars for a couple of hours and I can give you a ride.” This was one of the fastest sentences she’d ever spoken.  
“Uh, I don’t wanna be trouble. Archie and Veronica will be here soon.”  
Betty laughed at his rejection and put her hands in her pockets.  
“We both know they won’t.”  
“A man can hope.” he shrugged and adjusted his beanie. He looked at the empty road and thought about Betty’s offer. It was a homecoming after all and they were friends once, right? “Fine,” he said finally. “Thank you, I mean, I’d be very glad.”  
“Hop in, stranger,” she said with smile as she got some ropes from the back of her Beetle for his bike.

Betty’s car was cozy, Jughead thought. There was a little brown puppy on the dashboard, there were some notes peeking out of the visor on the passenger side. Suddenly, Jughead wandered if there were many passengers in her car. Not that it was his business anymore or something but… Well, he was just curious.  
They were silent -- an awkward one this time. For a few kilometers they sat in silence but then, Betty spoke.  
“So, you’re going to go to the Homecoming, huh?”  
“Yeah, well,” Jughead moved in his seat a bit. “I was already coming back, so.”  
“I see.”  
“Yeah.”  
Silence, _again_.  
“How’s the paper going?” He asked finally. It was rude to sit in someone’s car and pout all the way. Especially in _her_ car.  
“You know,” she shrugged eyes on road are way too much focused. “Interviews and all. I haven’t made a big deal yet but it’s a progress.”  
“You’ll get there.” he assured her. “You know that, right?”  
There it was. The smile he’d die for… He smiled at himself.  
“How’s your writing going?” she asked in return. “Any new ideas?”  
“Betty, you interviewed me about that just a couple of weeks ago.” he chuckled. Betty joined him too.  
“Yes, I’m aware that.” she said. “But I was a reporter when I asked it. Now I ask you as a… friend, I guess?”  
Jughead felt like someone was squeezing his heart but he kept smiling nevertheless.  
“I’m working on something.” he said. “I haven’t told anyone about it yet but, uhm, I think it’s gonna be… sincere.”  
“Oh.” Betty said. “What is it about? I mean, you don’t have to answer that of course--”  
“Love.” he said simply. “It’s about love.”  
Betty’s lips curved into a small smile and kept her eyes on the road barely.  
“What?” he asked. He was afraid of going too far on her. _Very subtle, Forsythe,_ Veronica’s voice echoed in his head, _just as might tell her the book is about her._ “You don’t seem surprised.”  
“I just…” she said. “I know you, Jughead, you’ve got layers. That’s why I’m not surprised.”  
Jughead snorted at her comment, wondering if she was referencing to the conversation they had had ten years ago.  
They went silent for a couple of minutes again. Her hands were clenched around the steering wheel and he had that urge to hold them just for once. He should say something, he thought. Anything.  
But Betty was the faster one as always.  
“You still wearing your hat on?” she asked playfully. “I thought you stopped wearing it years ago.”  
“I did.” he answered without thinking. “I wasn’t wearing it anymore but when I learned that you’d interview me… I found it and put it back on. As a security blanket, I guess.”  
She was still smiling but he could see something changed in the smile.  
“Do I scare you off that much?”  
They passed the Riverdale sign and she changed the subject before he had a chance to answer her question.  
“Where are you gonna stay?” she asked and blushed instantly. “I mean… where would you like me to take you?”  
“To my foster parents, if it’s not much.” he said with a huff. “I said I’d pay them a visit.”  
“Oh, sure.” she said and headed to the Southside. “How are they, by the way?”  
Jughead adjusted his hat as she pulled over.  
“They’re fine, you know. Last time I checked they were helping another kid like me, so I might get a foster sibling by any second.”  
She chuckled at his comment and watch him got out and untied the ropes on his bike.  
“Tell them I say hi.” she said. “See you at homecoming, I assume?”  
“You bet you will.” he said with a smirk. “Going to a high school reunion was totally on my bucket list.”  
***

Betty was still surprised about how easy it was to talk to Jughead. Like they were kids again, nothing had changed and they were… Just who they were all this time. Betty had missed that, she couldn’t find the strength to deny it. They weren’t in a relationship maybe but it was still so good to talk to him.  
She was almost glad that it happened.  
_Almost_.

The minute her mother opened the door, every thought of hers went into oblivion since Polly was there to greet her, too. Two sisters hugged each other very tight and Betty felt the warmth of her home, just in the moment she needed it.  
“Oh, Betty, look at you!” Polly cheered. “All grown up and New Yorker!”  
“Geez, Polly, it hasn’t been _that_ long,” she joked but happily accepted the compliment. “Where are the twins?”  
“They are having a nap.” Alice Cooper said and got in the line to hug her daughter. “And your father is at the newspaper for some Homecoming news. Oh, dear, New York looks really good on you as an independent journalist.”  
Of course, she thought. Two minutes in and Alice was already making some diabolic reference to her break up with Jughead four years ago.  
“Mom.” said Polly with a warning look and held her baby sister’s hand tightly. “Come, Betty, I have some amazing news for you!”  
In their modest living room, Cheryl Blossom was waiting for her.  
She seemed nervous, uncharacteristically. Standing tall in the middle of the room with all the nobility she had left, she smiled widely when she spotted Betty.  
“Well hello, Betty Draper!” she hugged her high school sorta-nemesis-at-first-and-family-in-time real tight. “Of season 1, of course.” she added quickly. She was still the Cheryl she knew all along yet there was a sign of maturity in her attitude. Betty hadn’t seen her for a long time. Like, five years long.  
“Oh my God, Cheryl!” she said with an excitement. “I didn’t know you are back in town, too!”  
“Well,” Cheryl sat down, crossing her legs. “France got boring in time, you know. What’s all the fuss about the men in there, anyway?”  
Betty laughed at her criticism and sat down next to her as Alice brought some tea and cookies.  
“So, I’m beyond happy to give you the good news!” Cheryl cheered. “Polly and I are roommates now!”  
“ _What_?” Betty almost screamed and her saw her mother’s unpleased expression. “When did this happen?”  
“I was gonna tell you sooner, Betts.” said Polly, tilting her head to left and smiled a bit. “But I was caught up with all the stuff and wanted to surprise you.”  
“Damn straight you did.” Betty laughed. “Oh my God, I mean, this is really nice but…”  
“But why?” Cheryl completed the unspoken question, raising one of eyebrows. “Well, my monster of a mother was really boring already but I’ve never lived alone in this town and Pollykins here was looking for somewhere for her and the kids.”  
“And I still think this is an absurd idea.” Alice blurted out. “Polly and the kids are always welcomed in our house.”  
“I know that, mom,” said Polly with a soft voice. “But the twins and I need some place for us and Cheryl is family, too.”  
For a second Cheryl seemed grateful at Polly’s words but got back at herself instantly.  
“And the twins _love_ me.” she added. “I mean, of course they would, I’m their auntie, after all.”  
Polly and Betty shared a look and Betty knew that look meant “ _They love you more.”_  
“Jay-Jay already is in love with his new toys and they really need a bigger room to play in.”  
“How about Jade?” Betty asked about her niece.  
Cheryl rolled her eyes at her question.  
“She’s all about the scientist equipment you got her last year. I really don’t understand her taste sometimes.”  
“Is everyone coming back?” Polly asked, ignoring Cheryl’s comments on her daughter.  
“Yeah.” Betty said hesitantly. “Veronica and Archie on their way home, she said they’ll stay at Mr. Andrews’. And, uhm…” a little pause, “Jughead is back, too.”  
Alice seemed alarmed as much as Polly.  
“What does that boy doing here, anyway? Isn’t his mother still in Toledo?” she asked.  
Betty just shrugged and avoid her mother’s pining eyes.  
“He said Archie persuaded him.”  
“You _talked_ to him?” this time Polly was alarmed. “What did he has to tell you anyway?”  
“Ugh,” said Cheryl as she got up and pulled Betty’s hand. “Spare her with all your investigations, Mama Coopers. Isn’t it obvious? They can’t stay away from each other forever.”  
“Cheryl--” the three of them spoke in unison.  
“Everyone in this damned town knows that I’m right, don’t bother.” she said and started talking about something happened her back in France as she led the way to Betty’s room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading it! so... what do you guys think?


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riverdale Reuinon is happening and there will be some discussing over some milkshakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! one of my favorite chapters is here, i hope you like it! you can always send feedbacks to me on tumblr: newurleans.  
> Enjoy!

Betty stood in front of her old school’s doors and examined the building once again. In the last six years, Riverdale High hadn’t lost its very own gloomy exterior at all. She adjusted her peachy pink dress, checked her make up one last time and waited for Veronica and Archie to arrive.   
There were many familiar faces at the schoolyard. Ethel Muggs, Reggie Mantle, Valerie and Trev Brown, Josie… She felt so many things at the same time. Leaving high school had its own disadvantages.   
“Looking good, Cooper.” Reggie approached her in his old-jock attitude. “Still got the cheerleader fire.”  
“Hi, Reggie,” Betty smiled at him. “Still got the jock spirit, I see?”  
“Once you are a Bulldog, you never go back.”  
Betty laughed at his comment and gave him a playful look but before she got to say anything, Veronica arrived.  
“Reggie Mantle!” she cheered. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!”   
“Miss Lodge,” Reggie bowed her. “Is your ginger here?”  
“Oh, Reggie.” Veronica said and looked for Archie in the crowd. “Yup, he’s with Moose over there. And Betty, Kevin is here, too!”  
“Oh my God!” Betty quickly said goodbye to Reggie and let Veronica snatch her. “Where is he?”  
“I don’t know, girl,” she shrugged as she touched her pearls as an old habit. “He’s dealing with some sherriff stuff, I guess. I just wanted you to all myself.”  
“Well, aren’t you a little late for having me for yourself?” she played with her best friend. Veronica rolled her eyes and they linked arms as they walked down the corridors.   
“Please,” she said. “Aside from our little romance, what’s the deal with you and Jughead?”  
Betty furrowed her eyes but kept walking.  
“What deal?”  
“Oh, please, B.” she begged. “Archie asked him how did he arrived to the town and Jughead spilled the beans -- by my force, obviously. That boy still doesn’t kiss and tell.”  
“There was no kiss, Ronnie.” the blonde one said and gave a death glare to Archie who was approaching them in front of the ballroom. “He was just hitchhiking and I was there.”  
“Of course you were, B. I don’t know much about God himself but there are some certain powers trying to get you two together.”  
Betty just shook her head and looked down at her feet. She wasn’t going to argue with her, not tonight, not ever -- if it’s possible.  
Archie asked Veronica’s help for his bowtie and then opened both of his arms.  
“Are my gorgeous dates are ready to go?”  
“Oh, Archiekins,” Veronica patted his arm gently as she get into the middle of him and Betty. “Don’t you know yet? You and Betty are my dates. Not the other way around.”  
***  
The Homecoming dance was so similar to the old ones that it made Betty all emotional. Her hair was longer now but other than that, Riverdale seemed all the same. Kevin arrived at the midnight, just before the dance is over. He apologized over and over again and danced with Betty finally.   
“Betty, I am so happy that you are back and we should totally have day together before you leave me again for that homewrecker called New York.”  
“Well if the sheriff of the town wants me to stay, what else I can do?”  
“Now we are talking.” he laughed at his best friend and cleared his throat. “I saw Jughead at the door.” he said. “Why is he here?”  
The song was over, Betty led him to the punch.  
“I don’t know, Kev, why the world keeps spinning around?”  
Kevin gave her a _don’t-mess-with-the-sheriff_ look but Betty knew him better.  
“I don’t know why Jughead is back, Kevin, but this town is still his home. I stand by my a decade old speech.”  
“You do you, Betty.” he murmured and looked at a point behind her. “Speak of the devil and the devil will come.”  
“What?” she turned around a saw a nervous Jughead Jones, hands in pocket and the beanie was back again. He catched her glance and gave her a little wave.  
“Okay, Nancy Drew, you’re gonna figure this out without the sheriff.” Kevin said and lost in the dancing crowd.  
Jughead came closer, passing all the dancing young and old couple around him.   
“I guess the sheriff is avoiding me.” he said. “It’s a shame, I was kind of a big deal around here once.”  
“Yeah,” Betty’s eyes gazed the crowd. “Remember this was our lives?”  
Jughead shrugged and watched the people.  
“I wouldn’t know, my school was more like a Step-Up movie without all the music and dancing.”  
Betty chuckled and leaned against the punch table.   
“Then why are you here?” she asked.   
“Like I said before, it was on my bucket list.” But she knew him better than that. She knew something was bothering him.   
“Care for a dance?” she asked finally. If this was high school all over again, then she’d play by her rules.   
Jughead, caught off guard at her offer, smiled and nodded slowly. It was an old song’s cover the teenagers playing but it was nice to dance with. He wasn’t a much of a dancer therefore the only moves he got was swinging in the middle of the sea of people. His hands were at her waist, they were closer than they ever had gotten in the last four years. It was something like out of a dream and he didn’t know why he was so lucky.   
“Thank you,” he swallowed. “I, uhm, thank you, for everything.”  
“It’s just a dance, Jug.” she smiled. “Not even worth to mention. I know how uncomfortable you get around people you don’t like that much.”  
“I’m still the same weirdo from the wrong side of the tracks.” he said, directly looking into Betty’s beautiful green eyes.   
“We both know that you are not.” she said hesitantly. “But they might be a little bit angry at you for the way you described them in your book.”  
“Hey,” he said with an amusement in his eyes. “It’s not my fault if they see themselves through a book.”  
Betty’s expression froze for a moment and looked at him carefully.   
“We all do that sometimes.” she whispered. “Sometimes that’s all we got.”  
With this instant seriousness, Jughead took a step back and an intimate grew in his heart.  
“Would you, uhm, like to go for a milkshake?”  
This was how they were now, Betty figured. Those old high school friends helping each other, dancing in Homecoming ball, going for milkshakes…  
It was so easy to have so she went with the flow.

•••  
Pop’s was all the same with its neon signs and old school design. The little ring above the door gave their arrival away and Betty’s eyes looked for the same old booth instantly.  
It was like an instinct for both of them. They went to the same red vinyl without a word and sat down against each other.   
Before any of them got to say anything, a white dressed waiter approached them and asked for their orders.  
“Classic vanilla and strawberry milkshake.” Jughead said. “And maybe some fries with it.”  
Betty laughed at his love for fries and wore a ponytail.  
Their orders arrived, they took a sip of their milkshakes and Jughead ate some fries.   
“Penny for your thoughts?” she asked finally.  
“They don’t worth even a dime.” Jughead said and a little cynical smirk appeared on his face. “But since you asked so nicely… I… I wasn’t gonna come back here but…” little pause, a deep breath, “My father is getting out this Wednesday.”  
Betty gasped, put her milkshake aside and leaned forward.  
“Oh my God, Jug, I had no idea!” her eyes widened as she spoke hastily. “I mean… It’s great, isn’t it?”   
“That’s one way to put it.” he murmured under his breath, avoiding Betty’s focused eyes on him. “I don’t know I… It’s been ten years, you know. It’s good for him.”   
FP Jones had missed so many things in his son’s life that Jughead didn’t know if his dad getting out is nice or not.   
“So what are you gonna do?” she said with a hint of cheer in her voice. “Is he gonna stay in the trailer again?”   
“Yeah probably.” he said.   
“So… JB must be thrilled, right? When is she coming back, too?”   
Jughead gave her a strange look as he ate some fries again.   
“She’s not coming.” he said.  
“What?” Betty’s eyes was narrowed, elbow on table, head resting in her palm. “Why?”  
Jughead shrugged and sighed.   
“She, uhm, she said and I quote that she has some stuff to do back in college and doesn’t have time for someone she doesn’t know anymore.”  
“Oh.”  
“Oh.” he said like an echo.  
“Jughead I’m so sorry, Archie didn’t say anything and I--”  
“He didn’t say it because he doesn’t know about it. And I intend to keep it that way, at least for a while.”  
Betty didn’t understand the secrecy or the reason why she was a part of it now. She drank rest of her drink and suddenly another question popped in her head.  
“But you can’t go and take your Dad all alone.” she said. “Is there anyone coming with you?”   
Jughead laughed at her worried question and leaned his back on the booth.   
“Yeah, Betty, a town of people are looking forward to come help good old FP Jones II.” He took a deep breath. “Look, the only reason I told you about this because you asked why I was here and I didn’t wanna lie to you, okay? Don’t pity me or anything, please.”  
“And we are back with the walls again.” she murmured. Her fists were about to clench but she saw Jughead realized it and she let go. The idea in her head wasn’t the brightest one so far but she knew how Jughead would feel if he went there all by himself. With the burden of his family, he’d be the angry and gloomy boy all over again. After working so hard for leaving it behind, that would be just cruel.   
“Do you want me to come with you?” She asked finally. And by the looks in his eyes, she was about to regret it.  
“Betty, I--” he stammered. His eyes on hers and the offer was still standing. Jughead realized how much strength she had to have to ask him this and loved the girl before him even more if it was possible. “I can’t ask you to do this.” He said. “I just can’t.”  
“Maybe.” she said with more confidence now. She was leaning back against the booth too. “But do you want me to?”   
His mouth went dry as he slowly nodded.  
“Of course I would, Betty.” he said. “I… it would make me feel less like a garbage, I guess.”   
“Okay!” she said with a forced cheer but a genuine smile on her face. “It’s settled, then. When are we going?”  
“He’ll be released at 9 o’clock in morning so… I’ll pick you up at 8?”   
“I guess a car would be more useful, Jug.” she said. “I’ll pick you up at 7. Okay?”  
“I’ll be at Mr. Andrews’.” he said. They were getting ready to go home now.

When they reached to Betty’s house, Jughead stood in front of her and looked like he wanted to tell her something.  
All the words he could say in the world, he knew none of them would be sufficient.   
“Thank you, Betts.” he just said instead. Betty gave him an assuring smile and squeezed his arm.  
“Any time, Juggie.” 


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey everyone! sorry for the hiatus and i hope you'll like this one.  
> We have a little Sabrina and Salem cameo!!

The very next day, Betty, Veronica, Polly and of course Cheryl were sitting in Polly’s new living room. Veronica had insisted on that they should have some quality girl time away from the boys so Betty couldn’t turn her down.  
“So,” the raven haired girl said while she was putting some nail polish on Betty’s feet. “I saw you and Caulfield left early last night.”  
“ _What_?” this was Polly but Betty totally ignored her.   
“It wasn’t like that, V,” she assured her friend. “We just… you know, did some catching up at Pop’s.”   
“So did this catching up of yours include a little goodnight kiss, maybe?”  
“Oh my God, Ronnie.” Betty protested as she sipped her margarita. “Of course not. It was just… friendly.”  
“Betty?” Polly questioned her sister.  
“Yes, Polly, it was.” she insisted. “It was nice to talking to him after a long time. It felt, you know, familiar and all.”  
“Wait for a second, little Cooper!” Cheryl interrupted. “Are you telling me you’ve never seen him in four years? Like, literally, ever?”  
“No, Cheryl.”  
“What about birthdays? Archie’s gigs or Veronica’s parties and all?”  
Betty just shrugged and avoided her gaze.   
“My parties didn’t include Jughead of course.” Veronica said proudly. “And he was never interested in getting in crowds anyway.”  
“No wonder why you two throw yourselves to each other’s arms.” Cheryl said, eyebrows raised in disapproval.”  
“Excuse me?” Betty seemed confused.   
“This is unhealthy, that’s why.” Cheryl explained and drank rest of her blush wine. “You avoided each other for years, now you are like two magnetic cars in opposite directions.”  
“And you are the one talking?” Veronica asked.   
“Have you ever seen me avoiding any of my exes in this town?” Cheryl asked and answered. “No. Why? Because I don’t bother myself with all the secrecy and all. But Betty over here would of course go right back to that homeless piece of author because she didn’t have the chance before.”  
The four of them looked at each other and considered Cheryl’s undeniable logic.   
Veronica took a deep breath and gave everyone a refill.  
“Look, B,” she sat down next to her blonde best friend. “It’s okay if you want to make things right with Jughead, it really is. We just don’t want to see you sad again, that’s all. I know it’s not our place to interfere or anything.”  
Betty gave her a small smile and held her hand.   
“It’s so soon to say something,” she said. “I just… I don’t know, girls, I’m just happy where we stand right now. Jug and I… we become the same kids when we get back home. I want to see if there’s something left for us to work on.”  
“Oh if I know Jughead Jones just a bit,” Veronica claimed, “he’s still head over heels for you, B.”  
Betty caught her sister’s gaze and saw the blessing in her identical green eyes. She just smiled.  
***  
Back in Jughead and his dad’s old trailer, he was doing something unconventional: cleaning. He hadn’t been here for a long time but now, he knew it was the only place his father could stay so he gave the old saying a go. _Mend the house, mend the man._  
So there he was, vacuuming the shit out of the old trailer and making the place a little bit home.The dust was a total killer though.   
“Hey, Jug!” A girl shouted at his door. “Guys at the Wyrm told me you might be here!”  
“Yeah come in!” he responded. A short haired blondie got in the trailer with a black cat by her side. “Do you really have to bring him in here, Sabrina?” he complained. “I’m cleaning!”  
Sabrina Spellman rolled her eyes and gave her cat a look.   
“Cleaning! You heard that, Salem?” she mocked with his friend and sat on the kitchen counter. “You said you’d call when you get back, J.” she said. “What’s up with the cleaning and hiding?”  
Jughead kept vacuuming and shrugged.   
“You must have heard, Sab, don’t play with me.”  
“You mean FP and everything? No, Mad Hatter, I was talking about Betty Cooper.”  
Jughead stopped the cleaning and sat down the only chair in the kitchen.   
“What about Betty?”  
“You tell me, Jughead,” Sabrina seemed bored. “I know you two have been apart, I know you avoided her with every cell of your being… So, what was it like to see an old flame? Did you remember how was it like to be teenager and in love with Betty Cooper?”  
Jughead narrowed his eyes and took off his hat.   
“I don’t _remember_ it, Sab.” he said. The blonde girl raised her eyebrows doubtfully. And Jughead patted the black cat on his lap. “You can’t _remember_ something if it’s not a past tense event. That’s grammatically and literally incorrect.”  
Sabrina sighed in impatience and gave him a death glare.  
“Ugh, spare me with your figures of speech, you idiot. What’s next, then? A wedding?”  
“Ha-ha.” Jughead said sarcastically. “It’s vague. I don’t know, she’s coming with me to take my dad.”  
“Well that’s an interesting choice for a first date but have it your way, dude, she seems to dig it anyways.”  
A little smirk appeared on his face as he got up and hugged his friend.   
“How’s it going with you, by the way? I heard Cheryl Blossom is back, too.”  
Sabrina gave him a half smile and sat on the counter again.   
“Yeah, she texted me and I quote, _I’m back, don’t make a scene about it._ She was the one left the town and me five years ago and she is the one warning me about not making a scene.” She shook her head and chuckled. “Which, in Cheryl Blossom language, means _I’d like to see you making a scene about me_.”  
“So what are you going to do?” Jughead asked. Hearing other people’s love problems somehow made him a little bit better.  
“Not gonna make a damn scene, of course.” she put it simply. “If Cheryl wants me to make a scene, then I won’t. But enough about me and my literally old flame. You and Betty are a thing again?”  
Jughead seemed speechless for a few seconds and then went to the fridge to grab a snack.   
“We kinda have those moments but, well, I’m good at messing things up for her so it’s too soon to speak.”  
“You keep telling yourself that, old bud.” Sabrina said.  
***  
When Wednesday finally arrived, Betty left the house with the peach pie she had made the night before without telling her parents and started to wait for Jughead to show up. It was chilly outside but Betty was never the one to complain about Riverdale’s usual weather conditions. She tightened her ponytail and adjusted her pastel pink coat once again and checked her watch. 06.57.  
And with a door’s crack, there he was with his hat on again. On the Andrews’ porch, he stood tall and looked at Betty’s direction. A small smile appeared on his face, his hands in his jean jacket’s pockets.   
“Morning.” he said, coming near her and looking the package.   
“Hey,” Betty smiled and refused to say anything about the pie. “Ready to go?”  
“All set.” he said and waited for her to get the car.

Second time in that car and Jughead was already feeling comfortable.   
“That’s a fine car.” He commented with his extended automobile knowledge. “It fits you.”  
“Thanks,” Betty smiled at the road. “How come you didn’t get one?”  
“Well, you know, I have my bike and I can always use subway. I really didn’t need it.” His answer seemed shallow so he continued. “Besides, cars are for the people who either have families or have the potential of having a family. But I--” _lost my chance for my case._ “I don’t fit in none of the options above.”  
Betty gave him a confusing look but then kept her eyes on the road.   
“You can turn on the radio if you like.” she suggested after a while.”  
“Uh, no thanks.” Jughead refused her. “Morning music makes me nauseous when I’m already nervous. Funny thing, when I told my therapist--”  
They both stopped and Betty slowed the car down a little.   
“Your therapist?” she asked.   
“Um, yeah.” Jughead swallowed and looked down at his knuckles. “I went to therapy for a couple of years.”  
“Oh. That… must be good, right?”  
“Yeah, you know I sorta needed it after… you know.”  
“Yeah. So, uhm, how did it go?”  
Jughead took a deep breath and looked out of the window before he said anything.  
“It was nice, you know. We talked about everything. My parents, JB, Riverdale and… then I stopped going.”  
“Why?” It was an instinct to ask this. She didn’t think about going too far or anything at first. But as the young man’s silence got longer, she wondered if she crossed a line.  
“She asked about you.” he said finally. “I didn’t feel like talking about it. So…”  
“I, uh, okay.” It was the only thing she was able to say. They arrived their not-so-favorite destination before the conversation got more awkward than it already was.   
They got out of the car and leaned on the bumpers. The prison’s gates were tall and dark, Jughead considered them as the gates of Underworld.   
“Any minute now.” Betty murmured beside him.   
With the end of her sentence, the gates were opened slowly and a tall, brunette man went through them.

FP Jones had gotten a little bit older in prison, normally, but some parts of him were still the same. He was still wearing flannel like his son, his beard was same like the last time Betty saw it and he was carrying his bag like he was coming from _The Breakfast Club_ or something. His dull expression turned into a huge smile when he spotted his son and Jughead rushed over to his father to hug him.  
Betty watched two men to hug it out and the tears of joy appeared on her eyes. She knew how much it meant to Jughead to hug his father again as a free man and she also knew how much it meant to FP to be loved by at least one of his children. She didn’t intervene or said anything but watched and suddenly felt so happy to witness this reunion. After so many years of nightmares, Jughead earned this and Betty was the happiest girl in the world.   
“Hey, dad.” Jughead said finally.   
“Hey, kid. Good to see you, huh?”  
“Hello, Mr. Jones.” she said when the two men apart. FP smiled at her and she returned the smile. “It’s good to see you.”  
“It’s good to see you, too, Betty.” said FP looking at her and his son back and forward. “I didn’t think you’d show up but you surprise the Jones Men as always.”  
“It’s kinda my speciality.” Betty said playfully. “Oh, and before I forget, I brought you a peach pie!”   
She rushed back into the car and came back with the package that Jughead was curious about.   
“Well I’m a damn lucky man, right, Jug?” FP said. “It’s been awhile since I ate one of those. Your mom used to make those for school events or something.”  
“It’s her recipe,” Betty admitted. “But the cooking is all me.”  
“Then it’d be a shame if we skip this.” he said and walked to Betty’s care. “You care for a coffee, Betty?”  
Betty looked at Jughead and saw the happiness in him. It had been some time since the last time she had seen him this happy.  
“Of course, Mr. Jones.” she said. “I’ll make some pancakes, maybe?”  
“It’s FP for you, I ain’t that old you know.”  
Then the three of them got in the green Beetle and hit the road back home once again.


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> last chapter before the finale!

The trailer was more clean than Betty expected. She didn’t know what to expect, though. Of course it’d be clean, Jughead used to care about a decent home and apparently, he still did. 

Betty walked into the small living room and it brought all the memories back instantly. 

There they were, at the age of eighteen, making plans for college and the life they were so eager to share. Another moment they were eating leftover pizza from the other night, as an after school special and laughing together at something Archie or Veronica or Kevin did that day. It was a long damn memory lane for sure and it made Betty’s head dizzy. 

“I’m gonna make some tea for this pie.” FP tore her thoughts apart. “You want something different, Betty?”

“Thanks, Mr. Jo- I mean thanks, FP, tea sounds good.”

“You bet.” he said and ignored his son’s attempt to make tea. Jughead, defeated by his father’s enhanced stubbornness over the years in prison, sat down the couch next to Betty.

Lost in thoughts, he automatically tossed the pillow between them aside and watched it land on the TV table. 

“After all the effort to tidy up this place, you look so eager to trash it.” Betty said teasingly. Dark haired boy snorted at her statement and look down at her hands resting on her knees.

“Is it that obvious?” he asked. “I never really was a fan of the place anyway.”

“We both know that’s not true.” Betty kept teasing and finally, he gave in to the smile.

The blonde studied the furniture once again. She thought it’d made her sadder than she already was but it was comforting in a way. It was saying,  _ yes, all of that happened and I was here, everything between you and the beanie boy was real. Yes, you still have that history with him. _

Betty smiled at the comfort she newly found in this old trailer and looked at Jughead again. 

“I should probably help Dad before he breaks anything.” Jughead said and got up, leaving Betty to her own mind once again.

 

Finally when they succeeded to have a nice breakfast-ish table for the three of them, Betty helped them cut the pie and serve it.

“Y’know, Betty, I liked the pancake idea but  _ someone _ left the fridge on its own fate so… We should be glad to drink some tea.”

Jughead rolled eyes at the complaining but he was smiling nonetheless. 

“This pie is to die for, Betty.” FP continued. “You have your mother’s skills I must say.”

“Thanks, FP, not that I have time to cook usually but it’s nice to hear it wasn’t in vain.”

“Nonsense.” Jughead refused her idea. “Your cooking was always the best. Do you remember our first night in New York? You were so opposed to the idea of us eating hotdogs from the street, you bought a small oven from Target in the middle of the night. If that’s not a solid proof for your cooking skills, I don’t know what is.”

“That’s a survival skill.” Betty retorted but she was laughing at the memory along two men. 

Talking about their memories with such a joy made both of their hearts skip a beat. Jughead didn’t even realize what he was rumbling until the middle of his sentence but he kept talking because Betty was laughing, she wasn’t sad or anything -- maybe, after all, there were some  _ not-so-past-tense _ events for her, too. If he was that lucky.

Betty, on the other hand, thought it was either the trailer’s doing or they were finally mature enough to talk about their history as if they were just a bunch of stories. Either way, it felt nice. 

After the pie, Jughead’s phone rang and the caller was his agent.

“Okay I need to take this but I’ll make it really quick.” he said and left Betty and FP alone in the living room.

“So,” FP said, slapped his knees. “You and Jug still talking to each other, huh?”

“Well, we are not 13 anymore so yes, we talk occasionally.”

“Pfft,” FP waved his hand. “That kid wasn’t that happy the last time we talked. I bet it’s all you.”

Betty smiled a bit and avoid his gaze. 

“We haven’t seen each other for some time, I guess the familiarity makes happy both of us. But I’m happy to see him doing okay, you know. Did he mention the interview on New York Times?”

The older man smiled with a proud in his eyes and nodded as he reached for another slice of pie. The capacity of eating of this family had always surprised Betty.

“I still keep a copy of it in my wallet.” he admitted. “Not everyday a Jones gets to be on newspapers for a good thing. Jellybean is the next, I can feel it.”

With the mention of his daughter, FP’s face went dark for a second but he pulled himself together in a bit. Again, another Jones skill surprising Betty: they were really good at their poker faces when they wanted.

“I see you still care about my boy, huh?” FP said finally. Betty froze at the sentence and adjusted her sweater before answering, a petty stalling. 

“Old habits die hard, FP.” she answered.

“So I heard.” the man confirmed her. “But beyond that, I still can see that you love him.” Before she get a chance to argue him he raised a hand stopped her attempt. “And deep down, Betty, he does, too. I know my kid, he’s scrappy but not that scrappy.”

Betty exhaled and found really hard to keep refusing the reality. 

“Does he?” was all she could asked, instead.

“Hell, if I know that boy a bit, damn sure he does.”

She saw Jughead ending his conversation and her face reddened. 

“Can we keep this between us, FP?” she asked quickly before Jughead got back. FP smiled at her desperate face and nodded.

“You know me Betty, I ain’t no snitch.”

Jughead got back right on time and Betty stood up.

“I should get going.” she said and grabbed her purse. “I promised I’d baby sit to twins today, so…” She waved at FP and he waved her back.

 

Jughead walked her to her car. 

“Betty, I… I can’t thank you enough, you know? You were a real life saver today. I can never pay you back.” 

Young woman shrugged and gave him a half smile. 

“I can always be bought by a milkshake.” she joked. Well, it wasn’t  _ entirely _ a joke but  _ still _ .

Jughead laughed and put his hands in his pockets. 

“I don’t know if I can afford a milkshake in such a short notice, you should’ve given me a heads up, Betts.”

Betty’s heart clenched at the name and the sound of it from his lips and she couldn’t help but smile wider.

“I’ll be around in the Thanksgiving.” she said. “Don’t be a stranger.”

Then she got into the car and waved him.

 

***

Archie and Veronica arrived at the evening with a basket of baked goods. 

“Hey, you!” Veronica cheered with an unusual smile. At least, it was unusual in Jughead’s presence. 

“Uh… Hey, Veronica.” he greeted her and gave Archie a questioning look. His ginger friend shrugged.

“Ronnie called Betty today and she told her that FP was out, so…”

Jughead frowned.

“Betty told you that?”

Raven haired girl rolled her eyes with exaggeration. 

“Of course she didn’t, Jughead.” she explained. “Her mom kinda figured when she couldn’t find her home in the morning so she called me and I called Betty and, you know, we kinda cornered her.”

“Very noble of you.” Jughead murmured under his breath. “Come on, Dad will be glad to see you guys.”

“Finally.” Veronica said and behaved her best attitude when she got in.

Archie, standing behind Veronica, gave his best friend a sad look.

“Why didn’t you tell me, dude?” he asked. 

“I don’t know, Arch, I wasn’t in a mood for all this, well, the Veronica Storm like now.”

The ginger man still looked upset but didn’t rile up on him and got in the line to say hello to FP. 

 

After a nice, pleasant evening, Jughead was agreed to go out and take a walk with them. 

“So you guys are back to being thick as thieves again, huh?” Archie asked after a silence full of boredom. 

Jughead ignored the question and instead of answering him, he made a fake shocked expression to Archie.

“Did you just use an uncommon phrase?” he asked and put his hand on his heart. “Archie Andrews were you reading books?” Archie scuffed and kept walking but Jughead didn’t give up. “I must say, Veronica, that’s all you. You made him grow up.” And then bumped Archie’s ribs with his elbow. “She’s a keeper that one.” 

“Ha-ha.” Archie said. “Very funny. I’m just saying I think it’s worth to give shot, you know? I mean, it’s Betty,” he turned to Veronica to get her support. “Right?”

“And to what end, Arch?” Jughead’s funny face was long gone. “Till I break her heart again, huh?”

They sat down on a bench and Archie stretched his legs. 

“Dude you are almost 30 and you still talk like an emo teenager.”

“And you talk like Reggie Mantle from 2015, what’s your point?”

“Boys!” Veronica yelled at them and stood up, crossed her arms and gave both of them a very, very cold look. “Stop this nonsense already, for god’s sake!”

The young men seemed shocked and looked at her angry face. 

“Do you really think this is highschool all over again?” she asked. Archie tried to say something but she raised her hand to shut him up. “It was a rhetorical question, Archie.” she said in frustration. “And you,” she pointed her finger at Jughead and her voice softened. She took a deep breath, adjusted her pearls and looked him in the eye. “Look, Jughead. You know we are not just friends through Archie or even Betty, right? We  _ are _ friends and despite the fact that I’m still mad at you over breaking up with Betty, I really want to see you happy. Truly. Because in this murderous town called Riverdale, you kinda earned it. You actually deserve to be happy and I wouldn’t be such a venomous snake against you if I knew you’d be happy without Betty.”

Jughead swallowed, not being used to be considered as a friend by the almighty Veronica Lodge herself, he just nodded.

“Thanks, Veronica.” he murmured in a state of shock. “I, uhm, of course we are friends.”   
“Good.” Veronica nodded. “Then act like one and make things right by Betty, Jughead. Seriously I myself really enjoy a good romcom but this is just getting out of hand.”

Jughead took a deep breath and looked at Archie who was looking at the ground by the way, ignoring their bonding-bickering moment completely.    
“Then what am I going to do, Veronica?” he asked, defeated by his friends and by his own mind. “What am I supposed to do to earn Betty’s trust once again and for all?”   
Veronica blinked her eyes in surprise as if she wasn’t expecting her words work on Jughead’s behaviors at all. Well, making Veronica Lodge speechless and living enough to tell about it wasn’t a everyday occasion.    
“Just… do something different than you always do, Jughead, let her in and tell her how you feel. You are the one good with the words, right? And you are once really good at reading Betty like a book. That’s a good combo, if you ask me.”   
Jughead did something different at got up, examined Veronica and suddenly, he hugged her.    
“Thanks,” he murmured over her shoulder. “And I know we are friends, Veronica.”   
Veronica patted his back and took a step back with a friendly smile on her face.    
“Just write me lovely in your next novel, Forsythe.”   
Jughead snorted at her wish but bowed.    
“As you wish, Miss Lodge.” he mocked. “But don’t push my inspiration too much.”   
Then he left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading it, guys! Like I always say, kudos and comments are always appreciated!!


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and the final chapter! pls enjoy it!

The Thanksgiving morning was utterly lovely. The sun was shining, rain had stopped and the streets of Riverdale were full of autumn leaves. Betty walked down the way leading her home, her hands in her navy blue coat’s pockets and her steps echoing in the empty road. Her golden locks were free of their clasps, falling randomly down on her shoulders and she felt the freedom in her heart, too. 

What she felt was a rare feeling people get when they get back home without the lift in their hearts. She didn’t know why now, why here she felt this but she embraced it anyway. The air surrounding her was reminding her the old Riverdale -- the one where only the good things happen, the one where they’d drink milkshake to make their so called demons go away and it’d actually work. She didn’t realized how much she had missed it. 

She let her feet lead her to the Sweetwater River and sat down on a bench, ignoring the raindrops on it. 

She had a lot of to think this morning, couldn’t help it. Betty was never the one to be able to escape her mind, it was always Jughead’s speciality even when they were younger. She felt the eight years like a thousands of them on her shoulders and gave a tired breath. Feeling finally home wasn’t about just the town itself, she figured. It was the people. It was the very soul of Riverdale what made her feel home finally and well, it wasn’t that comforting after all. 

Moving on after her soulmate wasn’t something she planned when she was with him. It wasn’t even an option for her, she was a warrior at heart and always thought they’d best everything and anything. 

The reason why none of them chased one another was a blur, to be honest. She couldn’t answer herself exactly. It wasn’t the lack of love for sure, but it was… Letting go of someone you love so much. It wasn’t giving up on them, not really. The difference was vast and she never felt so confused. 

The days and months following Betty and Jughead’s break up was also a blur. She remembered how hard Veronica had tried to set her up with many of their friends and how she rejected every single one of them. Not that they weren’t good people or anything -- they weren’t just…  _ enough _ . Her sister and Veronica accused her with not wanting moving on and she denied it every time they brought it up but maybe they were right. She couldn’t remember how many times she watched  _ Rebel With a Cause _ over and over again, or the times she went to that hotdog place late at night, insisting her appetite was besting her, or the times she did many other unnecessary and petty things. 

In four years, she had never laid her eyes on Jughead Jones but still, there she was, drowning in her memories by the river. 

She made up her mind, Cheryl was right. Seeing him just for once was all it took, she fell for him  _ again _ and she fell for completely,  _ not almost. _ Because even in the most darkest hour of the night, Betty Cooper would find a way back to Jughead Jones. 

 

“You come here often?” 

She jumped at the familiar voice and the instant fear on her face left its place to a more relaxed one. 

“Every now and then.” she played along. “What about you?”

Jughead sat next to her, stretched his legs and ran a hand through his dark curls. 

“Only when I’m in need of finding my way back.”

He rested his elbows on the back of the bench and gave Betty a smirk.

“Free from your beanie finally?” she teased.

“I didn’t need its presence anymore, it can rest in peace in Dad’s drawers for awhile. The old thing needs a vacation sometimes.”

She chuckled and lifted her chin up to look Jughead in the eye. None of them said anything and kept the eye connection as long as they could. Betty was the one that broke it.

“I’m glad to see you here.” Jughead said, directly looking at her. 

“How did you know?” she murmured. Young man just shrugged and huffed. 

“I couldn’t sleep last night.” he explained. “And I kinda wanted to walk in the morning and, here I am, sitting right next to the girl next door once again.”

A sad smile appeared on Betty’s face and she watched the river flow.

“So long for the Betty Cooper the local Nancy Drew, then?”

“Oh she’s around somewhere.” Jughead assured her. “Just… Not much around me anymore.”

“And whose fault was that?” Betty retorted without thinking. 

“Certainly mine.” Jughead breathed. “Believe me, I know.”

“Do you?” she exhaled. “What are we even doing, Juggie?”

Her voice wasn’t angry or annoyed, Jughead noticed. She was just, plainly asking. Her hands on her cheeks, elbows resting on her knees and blonde curls all over her face. Jughead’s heart clenched at this scene before him. It was so pure, so sad and so… Betty. She was there for him to reach but he just didn’t know how to.

“I didn’t want this, Betty.” he repeated his old self. “I didn’t want to be this… this obstacle in your life, keeping you from the future the world has planned for you. I didn’t want us to be this consuming couple who corrupt each other and themselves. I just… I only thought that… That would be better for the both of us, giving each other space to breathe. But now, having you right back to my life, where I think you need to be or, to be honest, I need you to be… It’s out of dream. Many dreams, actually.”

Betty took a long breath and her eyes lingered on the waves a bit longer before she could turn her face to his. Jughead noticed the tears yet to come and it sent a shiver down his spine.

“The worst thing is,” Betty started, “I can’t disagree with you. I know, Jughead, I knew it back then I still do. It was a sinking ship and we waited till the end of it. I don’t blame you, I don’t even blame myself and… You didn’t answer my question.”

Jughead laughed at her determined expression, he couldn’t say he hadn’t missed that alongside many other things about Betty. But more than anything, just Betty. 

“I think,” he inhaled the autumn scent around him, “I think we just come home, Betty.”

“Just like that? We come back home, we come back each other?” 

“To be honest I don’t know. I don’t know how or why now but I know we wouldn’t keep doing that if it didn’t mean anything to any of us.”

She closed her eyes, a wind started, made her hair float in the air briefly and a tear rolled down on her cheek to her chin.

“It hurt so much.” she said under her breath. “I was hurt so much, Jughead.”

Jughead lips were pressed as tears fell down. 

“I know,” his voice cracked. “I know, Betty, I really do.”

“We were supposed to take care of each other.” she said. 

“We always have a right to fail ourselves every once in awhile.” 

“But not each other.” she responded. “Not this time.”

Jughead held onto the hope in her voice for dear life. 

“We won’t.” he promised. “We made our fair share mistakes but not anymore. Not together, Betty, I promise.”

Betty licked her lips and studied his desperate gaze with a hint of a smile.

“Somehow I don’t doubt that.” she whispered. “Also…”

Jughead’s smile got bigger at each word. 

“What?” he encouraged her. “What, Betty?”

Betty took a deep breath and laughed at the memory playing in her head but then, she reached for him and kissed him softly. 

***

It was just a couple of weeks later after their return to New York once again. Jughead was flowing with the ideas and the words thus he locked himself in for writing. His efforts weren’t in vain, it turned out and after many arrangements his agent made for him, he was finally ready to publish his second book. 

“You didn’t even let me read it!” Betty said half joking, half angry. 

“Because, Betts,” Jughead’s lips lingered on her cheek for a little while, “It’s just the way it has to be.”

“Very convincing.” Betty grumbled and went back to writing her article. 

 

Days passed, arrangements were made and finally, the first ten copies of the book has arrived their newly rented apartment in Manhattan.

“Ready?” Jughead asked teaslingly. 

“Don’t push me, Jug.” Betty warned her but there was a hint of devil in her eyes. Jughead laughed at her rightful impatience and opened the box, handed a book to her.

 

_ To Find Our Way Back by J.Jones  _

 

Betty opened the book with trembling hands and her fingertips found the dedication once again.

 

_ For Elizabeth Cooper, once again. _

 

Betty, with the tears of joy in her green eyes, hugged her long lost boyfriend very tightly and he hugged him back with the same eagerness.

They earned this happiness just like Veronica said once. Both of them deserved this happiness they found each other many years ago.

 

***   
  


_ This book is about a girl who wore her heart on her sleeves and fought for everything she held dear with that very heart. This book also about a boy who loved her more than he thought she’d ever known but yes, she had known.  _

_ This book is about a small town once wholesome and innocent but now changed for good; became a home for two kindred spirits and their finally tamed demons.  _

_ Read it with every piece of your heart, every once in four years.  _

_ -J.Jones _

***

 

**THE END.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, that's a wrap! Thank you guys for sticking with me through the story, I hope I made you guys a smile a bit.   
> Please please please send me what you think and come visit me on tumblr (newurleans)!  
> Hope to see you around!

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, time to be honest, how was it? I'm pretty nervous about it so please let me know what you think about it! Lots of love!
> 
> You can always send me feedback or anything on my tumblr! newurleans.tumblr.com


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